Debunking the Grammy Curse

Tomorrow, John Legend performs at the Araneta Coliseum as part of his highly successful EVOLVER world tour--proof that there is life after Grammy's Best New Artist Award.

Many consider the award to be a curse perhaps because some winners have never been able to duplicate the successes of their debut records. Legend won the award in 2006 for his GET LIFTED album, particularly for the track ORDINARY PEOPLE (thankfully, he decided to keep the song for himself after initially considering it for a Black Eyed Peas project). But 2 more albums and 6 Grammys later, Legend is going strong.

Maybe the supposed curse more accurately pertains to the likes of Milli Vanilli, who won in 1990 but were stripped of the award because...well we all know why.

Check out below the list of Best New Artists ever since the award was created in 1960. Any protests? I have a few.  

Meanwhile, I've got the Green Light to head to Cubao tomorrow. If you can't catch the show, pick up the album: EVOLVER, from Columbia Records.

A Love Song from Sara Bareilles

With the Grammy Awards coming up early next month, I felt it wise to brush up on some of the nominees whose work stirred up the industry in 2008. Late last year I took an interest in Adele Adkins, British soul-jazz-pop artist nominated for record of the year, song of the year, best new artist, and best female pop vocal performance. This time, I take a look at Sara Bareilles, who too is nominated for best female pop vocal performance, and whose LOVE SONG is contending for song of the year.  Incidentally, LOVE SONG was named by Billboard as the #1 hot adult contemporary song of 2008, beating even Alicia Keys's NO ONE and Coldplay's VIVA LA VIDA.

Upon graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles began touring the circuit in local bars and clubs, slowly developing a following for her confident vocals and fearless keyboards. This eventually led to the indie recording of her first studio album, CAREFUL CONFESSIONS, and to bigger gigs, opening for the likes of Paolo Nutini, Mika, James Blunt, and college pals Maroon 5.

It was in 2006 when she began writing and recording material for her first major label album, LITTLE VOICE, and in June 2007 when iTunes featured her LOVE SONG as the free single of the week. Barely a month later, LITTLE VOICE became the most downloaded album in the music store. The artist's and the song's quick rise in the pop charts led to live performances in 2008 on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO and on the TODAY SHOW. Two months hence, LOVE SONG was a certified double platinum hit.

Bareilles confesses that because she's a girl who writes music with her piano, her work is often likened to Norah Jones's and Fiona Apple's; a pretty wide spectrum--Bareilles enjoys the two for the opposite reasons: Jones for her subtlety and Apple for her ferocity. But such is the music of Sara Bareilles--a delightful cocktail of the most sumptuous yet intoxicating influences, diverse as they may seem.  Consider this mix: Elton John, Police, Radiohead, Etta James, Sam Cooke, Bjork, Counting Crows, and Bob Marley, to name a few of her musical idols.

Yet pronounced in this concoction are the stories of Bareilles herself. Her music is laced with honest vignettes that narrate her life, relationships, and as she calls it, her "basket-case-ness."

Figure it out. Here's her most successful song to date, LOVE SONG.

Adele and Chasing Pavements

Last week, Laine in Hong Kong sent me a text message mentioning what a cool track CHASING PAVEMENTS is. You see, we've both been updating each other on great music finds--especially the more current and contemporary kind as our iPods are filled with so much dated (and age-revealing) music.

The totally clueless me asked her what CHASING PAVEMENTS was, and Laine then pointed out that it was a song by MySpace wonder, ADELE (Adele Laurie Blue Adkins). I promised to research on the artist and the music; but literally moments later, much to my surprise as I turned on my TV, here was ADELE performing CHASING PAVEMENTS on ELLEN. What are the chances?

I was mesmerized. This Brit has a deep and raspy tone, emotionally-charged and cracking at the most vulnerable moments of the piece. And the song? An stirring melody with a most engaging hook, one of those you can hum after just one listening. 

CHASING PAVEMENTS is set at the crossroads where the persona asks herself if it is wiser to stop in her tracks or continue her pursuit even if it leads nowhere. The song is said to be based on an event in ADELE's life, a troubling break-up with her beau that found her running down an empty street.

Since her early career, ADELE has been writing music that reflects her most intimate experiences. In late 2004, one such song was posted on MySpace by her friend; the popularity of the demo earned a record deal for the then 16-year old.  With last year's successful UK release of her album, 19, the artist then began her attempt to reach an American audience. The efforts seemed futile until in October 2008 when ADELE was slated to guest on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (SNL), on the same episode when SARAH PALIN made her appearance. The show, which garnered SNL's highest viewership since 1994, drew much attention to singer-songwriter. The next day, 19 topped the iTunes charts and ranked #5 on Amazon.com.

Last December 4, ADELE, 19, and CHASING PAVEMENTS received 4 Grammy Award nominations: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Vocal Performance, and Best New Artist. 19 has been released in the U.K. under the XL Recordings label, and in the U.S. through Columbia Records.

Here's a music video of ADELE and CHASING PAVEMENTS.